Islam, national identity and social cohesion: the case of Morocco

Why does the secularisation theory, which argues that religion ceases to be significant in societies that have undertaken a process of modernization and democratization, fail to explain why religion remains predominant or even gains salience in some states despite a modernization and industrialization process? This thesis takes Morocco as a case study to provide a theoretical explanation: countries where religion defines national identity and is perceived as a guarantee for social and cultural cohesion, are unlikely to secularize.Why does the secularisation theory, which argues that religion ceases to be significant in societies that have undertaken a process of modernization and democratization, fail to explain why religion remains predominant or even gains salience in some states despite a modernization and industrialization process? This thesis takes Morocco as a case study to provide a theoretical explanation: countries where religion defines national identity and is perceived as a guarantee for social and cultural cohesion, are unlikely to secularize.LUISS PhD Thesi

Cooperation in the shadow of WTO law: why litigate when you can negotiate

In the current multilateral trade regime, members often negotiate under the shadow of WTO law. This article develops a formal explanation of the way in which the credible threat to resort to and the actual use of WTO litigation can influence multilateral trade negotiations. We contend that the ability to impose costs on a defendant by way of litigation increases the complainant’s bargaining power, opening a bargaining window and ultimately increasing the chances for cooperation in multilateral trade negotiations. On the other hand, the complainant’s preference for loss-mitigation over gains from retaliation and its expectations about the likelihood that the defendant will not comply with an adverse ruling can augment the defendant’s bargaining leverage. Thus, contrary to conventional wisdom, increased enforcement does not necessarily make actors shy away from further cooperation, although the credibility of the defendant’s non-compliant threats crucially affects the location of any potential negotiated agreement. Empirically, we show that the argument can account for how Brazil, a potential complainant, and the EU and the US, two potential defendants, approached and bargained agricultural negotiations in the Doha round.In the current multilateral trade regime, members often negotiate under the shadow of WTO law. This article develops a formal explanation of the way in which the credible threat to resort to and the actual use of WTO litigation can influence multilateral trade negotiations. We contend that the ability to impose costs on a defendant by way of litigation increases the complainant’s bargaining power, opening a bargaining window and ultimately increasing the chances for cooperation in multilateral trade negotiations. On the other hand, the complainant’s preference for loss-mitigation over gains from retaliation and its expectations about the likelihood that the defendant will not comply with an adverse ruling can augment the defendant’s bargaining leverage. Thus, contrary to conventional wisdom, increased enforcement does not necessarily make actors shy away from further cooperation, although the credibility of the defendant’s non-compliant threats crucially affects the location of any potential negotiated agreement. Empirically, we show that the argument can account for how Brazil, a potential complainant, and the EU and the US, two potential defendants, approached and bargained agricultural negotiations in the Doha round.Refereed Working Papers / of international relevanc

Innovation’s governance and investments for enhancing competitiveness of manufacturing SMEs

To become innovative and competitive manufacturing contractors, SMEs have to be capable to supply manufacturers with advanced equipment, components, and tools for improved manufacturing and engineering operations. Besides, despite their foremost numbers and importance in job creation, traditionally SMEs encounter difficulty in obtaining formal credit or equity. Maturities of commercial bank loans extended to SMEs are often limited to a period far too short to pay off any sizeable investment. Many European governments and international financial institutions have tried to address the problems of high transaction costs and risks by creating subsidized credit programmes and/or providing loan guarantees. Such projects have often fostered a culture of non-repayment or failed to reach the target group or achieve financial self-sustainability. Further, it tries to understand what are the main barriers for SMEs with respect to the realisation of their innovative potential and their capacity to improve internal processes by the adoption of innovative manufacturing techniques and a graduated organizational change. They are becoming particularly important for achieving greater productivity, lower operational costs, and higher revenues (usually characterized by reduced access to external finance, unavailability of wider distribution channels, low internationalization, etc.). The purpose of this article at last is to clarify how on-line training on automation and innovation fields can bring economic and organizational benefits. Innovative training contents can improve manufacturing knowledge of managers and employees, especially on industrial automation systems.To become innovative and competitive manufacturing contractors, SMEs have to be capable to supply manufacturers with advanced equipment, components, and tools for improved manufacturing and engineering operations. Besides, despite their foremost numbers and importance in job creation, traditionally SMEs encounter difficulty in obtaining formal credit or equity. Maturities of commercial bank loans extended to SMEs are often limited to a period far too short to pay off any sizeable investment. Many European governments and international financial institutions have tried to address the problems of high transaction costs and risks by creating subsidized credit programmes and/or providing loan guarantees. Such projects have often fostered a culture of non-repayment or failed to reach the target group or achieve financial self-sustainability. Further, it tries to understand what are the main barriers for SMEs with respect to the realisation of their innovative potential and their capacity to improve internal processes by the adoption of innovative manufacturing techniques and a graduated organizational change. They are becoming particularly important for achieving greater productivity, lower operational costs, and higher revenues (usually characterized by reduced access to external finance, unavailability of wider distribution channels, low internationalization, etc.). The purpose of this article at last is to clarify how on-line training on automation and innovation fields can bring economic and organizational benefits. Innovative training contents can improve manufacturing knowledge of managers and employees, especially on industrial automation systems.Articles published in or submitted to a Journal without IF refereed / of international relevanc

Investigating digital natives and their organizational behavior: a measurement model

Uninvited Submission

Essays in macroeconomics of debt deleveraging

This dissertation analyzes, in two chapters, how monetary and fiscal authorities can optimally manage debt reduction episodes. In the first chapter I show how public debt deleveraging leads to a recession with different effects on real interest rates according to the fiscal instruments the government is using to reduce the debt. The fiscal authority should not depress much consumption of the agents who hold savings to improve the welfare of the ones who do not have access to financial markets. Moreover speed and timing of public deleveraging depend crucially on the type of instrument the fiscal authority uses to enforce it. Nominal rigidities, in this context, seem to be beneficial for the agents who cannot insure themselves through financial markets. In the second chapter, written together with Prof. Pierpaolo Benigno, we show how deleveraging from high debt can provoke deep recession with significant international side effects. Due the debt reduction process, real and nominal variables can be subject to high uctuations. All these movements are inefficient and interesting trade-offs emerge from the perspective of global welfare. Counterintuitively, we show that the optimal adjustment to global imbalances should not necessarily require large movements in the nominal exchange rate. Moreover we show that, whenever countries have an high degree of openness to trade, Central Banks needs to create a global liquidity trap to face the deleveraging shock.This dissertation analyzes, in two chapters, how monetary and fiscal authorities can optimally manage debt reduction episodes. In the first chapter I show how public debt deleveraging leads to a recession with different effects on real interest rates according to the fiscal instruments the government is using to reduce the debt. The fiscal authority should not depress much consumption of the agents who hold savings to improve the welfare of the ones who do not have access to financial markets. Moreover speed and timing of public deleveraging depend crucially on the type of instrument the fiscal authority uses to enforce it. Nominal rigidities, in this context, seem to be beneficial for the agents who cannot insure themselves through financial markets. In the second chapter, written together with Prof. Pierpaolo Benigno, we show how deleveraging from high debt can provoke deep recession with significant international side effects. Due the debt reduction process, real and nominal variables can be subject to high uctuations. All these movements are inefficient and interesting trade-offs emerge from the perspective of global welfare. Counterintuitively, we show that the optimal adjustment to global imbalances should not necessarily require large movements in the nominal exchange rate. Moreover we show that, whenever countries have an high degree of openness to trade, Central Banks needs to create a global liquidity trap to face the deleveraging shock.LUISS PhD Thesi

Gli strumenti di composizione delle controversie in materia di transfer pricing: problematiche applicative e prospettive evolutive

Il transfer pricing all’interno dei gruppi multinazionali. L’incidenza della disciplina del transfer price sulla doppia imposizione internazionale. Ruling internazionale. Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP). Convenzione Arbitrale 90/436/CEE del 23 luglio 1990. Prospettive evolutive.Il transfer pricing all’interno dei gruppi multinazionali. L’incidenza della disciplina del transfer price sulla doppia imposizione internazionale. Ruling internazionale. Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP). Convenzione Arbitrale 90/436/CEE del 23 luglio 1990. Prospettive evolutive.LUISS PhD Thesi

La responsabilità amministrativo-contabile del segretario comunale

Il danno erariale. La politica, la gestione e le responsabilità: il triangolo dell'interesse pubblico. La responsabilità amministrativo contabile del segretario comunale. Le nuove fattispecie di responsabilità erariale emergenti dalla Legge 6 novembre 2012, n. 190 e dai decreti attuativi in capo al segretario comunale.Il danno erariale. La politica, la gestione e le responsabilità: il triangolo dell'interesse pubblico. La responsabilità amministrativo contabile del segretario comunale. Le nuove fattispecie di responsabilità erariale emergenti dalla Legge 6 novembre 2012, n. 190 e dai decreti attuativi in capo al segretario comunale.LUISS PhD Thesi

Discourses and practices of the regionalisation of foreign and security policies: the cases of West Africa and South America

The process of the regionalisation of foreign and security policies, its conditions of emergence and evolution, is the core object of study of this doctoral thesis. This research has two aims, first it seeks to construct a new framework to understand and conceptualise regionalisation processes and second, applying this framework to draw conclusions on the paths these processes take in West Africa and South America. In this research I take issue with the way in which IR approaches present regional projects as the ‘natural’ or ‘rational’ response of nation states to a combination of objective and ideational factors. A more thorough explanation requires an account of the ways in which these factors are themselves constituted, maintained and shaped by discourses and power relations between the relevant actors, as well as through the concrete practices the actors deploy. I thus conceptualise regionalisation as an interplay between discourses and practices of actors ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the region. Methodologically, the analysis uses a poststructuralist discourse analysis and an interpretative process tracing that relies mainly on ethnographic work. The key empirical findings of this thesis are twofold. First, historically constituted discourses are crucial in determining the form and extent of the regionalisation process – in particular the key articulations linking the concepts of state/nation and region. Second, the comparison allowed me to demonstrate that regions are not independent units: they are part of an international system where actors (re)produce discourses carrying certain norms, concepts and meanings such as ‘security’, ‘development’, ‘regional integration’, etc. It is precisely the encounter between the regional and ‘external’ actors discourses which constitutes the process of regionalisation. The meaning given to security, in particular, which emerges at the intersection of these discourses, decisively frames the process towards either cooperation between sovereign states or the building of a regional political community.The process of the regionalisation of foreign and security policies, its conditions of emergence and evolution, is the core object of study of this doctoral thesis. This research has two aims, first it seeks to construct a new framework to understand and conceptualise regionalisation processes and second, applying this framework to draw conclusions on the paths these processes take in West Africa and South America. In this research I take issue with the way in which IR approaches present regional projects as the ‘natural’ or ‘rational’ response of nation states to a combination of objective and ideational factors. A more thorough explanation requires an account of the ways in which these factors are themselves constituted, maintained and shaped by discourses and power relations between the relevant actors, as well as through the concrete practices the actors deploy. I thus conceptualise regionalisation as an interplay between discourses and practices of actors ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the region. Methodologically, the analysis uses a poststructuralist discourse analysis and an interpretative process tracing that relies mainly on ethnographic work. The key empirical findings of this thesis are twofold. First, historically constituted discourses are crucial in determining the form and extent of the regionalisation process – in particular the key articulations linking the concepts of state/nation and region. Second, the comparison allowed me to demonstrate that regions are not independent units: they are part of an international system where actors (re)produce discourses carrying certain norms, concepts and meanings such as ‘security’, ‘development’, ‘regional integration’, etc. It is precisely the encounter between the regional and ‘external’ actors discourses which constitutes the process of regionalisation. The meaning given to security, in particular, which emerges at the intersection of these discourses, decisively frames the process towards either cooperation between sovereign states or the building of a regional political community.LUISS PhD Thesi

Rethinking Think Tanks in contemporary China: cases from Financial and Environmental Governance in East Asia

Setting the Puzzle. Think Tanks: A Literature Review. Think tanks in China. Think Tanks 4.0. Chinese Think tanks in East Asia: evidence from Financial Governance. Think Tanks and China’s Environmental Governance. Rethinking Think Tanks Functionality in Contemporary China.Setting the Puzzle. Think Tanks: A Literature Review. Think tanks in China. Think Tanks 4.0. Chinese Think tanks in East Asia: evidence from Financial Governance. Think Tanks and China’s Environmental Governance. Rethinking Think Tanks Functionality in Contemporary China.LUISS PhD Thesi

Cessazione del contratto, cessione del credito e circolazione della clausola compromissioria

La clausola compromissoria. La successione nel rapporto compromissorio. La circolazione della clausola compromissoria nella cessione del contratto. La circolazione della clausola compromissoria nella cessazione del credito.La clausola compromissoria. La successione nel rapporto compromissorio. La circolazione della clausola compromissoria nella cessione del contratto. La circolazione della clausola compromissoria nella cessazione del credito.LUISS PhD Thesi